Biochemical analysis systems for supplying, handling, and analyzing samples are important in the field of life science.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,608 discloses a temperature regulating container with a heater and a metal block in which test tubes with test samples are therein inserted and kept isothermally. Such a temperature regulating container provides a plurality of heat pipes embedded in the metal block and extended to the heater section located at bottom of the metal block uniformally maintain the temperature in the metal block. Heat tubes are further extended downwardly to a cooling chamber provided at the bottom of heater such that when a cooling medium, water or air flows in the cooling chamber, the metal block is cooled respondingly provide accurate cooling of test samples in test tubes according to a desired program.
DE 29520997 discloses a bearing for a lab device such as a lab shaker, in which a platform held by a bearing is moved by a drive unit in an x-direction and/or in a y-direction. The platform can be a table on which supports for reaction tubes are formed.
However, operation of such devices may be inconvenient for a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,032 discloses a shaking machine which contains a drive shaft having at an upper end thereof an eccentric shaft portion formed with a predetermined off-center value, a frame supporting the drive shaft via a bearing, and a shaking table provided on a lower surface thereof with a bearing in which the eccentric shaft portion is fitted and allows the shaking table to make a circular orbital revolving movement with the rotation of the drive shaft. The frame and the shaking table are connected to each other by an integral rotation regulating coupling for regulating the shaking table not to rotate integrally with the drive shaft, and the drive shaft penetrates the integral rotation regulating coupling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,580 discloses a heated cover for a receptacle containing a vaporizable substance. The cover is heated to a temperature above the temperature of the substance so as to prevent condensation of vapor evaporated from the substance. A device for placing and removing the cover with respect to the receptacle is designed in connection with a temperature-controlled heating/cooling plate which controls the temperature of the contents of the receptacle.
EP 0,810,030 discloses a thermocycler apparatus for performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) comprising a heating block and heated cover in which sample tubes are retained, heated and cooled as required. The heating of the upper portions and caps of sample tubes in use prevents condensation inside the tube caps thereby eliminating the need for a layer of oil floating on the surface of the sample liquid.
EP 0,836,884 discloses a system to apply a heat reaction to liquids which has at least one vessel, with at least one inner fluid-tight closure. At least one outer closure can give a pressure seal to the vessels. Also disclosed is an operation to carry the liquid through a pipette unit, which can be given inner and outer seals. The outer seals are removed from the vessel(s), and the pipette is inserted through the inner seal(s). The liquid is extracted from the vessel(s) into the pipette unit, or a liquid is discharged from the pipette system into the vessel(s).
JP 2002001085 discloses that, to smoothly shake a shaking table by a simple structure, an annular moving-side magnet is provided having a plurality of different magnetic poles arranged at the same distances and fixed around the peripheries of bearings installed beneath the shaking table fitted into an eccentric shaft part. An annular fixed-side magnet is provided which has an inner periphery with such a size as not to contact the outer periphery of the moving-side magnet when the moving-side magnet is rotating and which has magnetic poles in the same number with that of the moving-side magnet, the magnetic poles being arranged at the same distances and so that different magnetic poles are facing each other.